Samsung updated its global SmartThings platform to provide new tools for users to monitor and support family members in daily life.

According to Samsung, the SmartThings Family Care service connects home appliances and mobile devices to send notifications about the activities of users’ ageing parents, medication reminders, and location-based alerts. With the latest update, the company said the service provided more detailed support.

Samsung stated that a feature called “Care on Call” lets a caregiver see key information about a care recipient during a phone call. Before the call began, a floating pop-up showed the time of the first activity of the day, the most recent activity time, and the local weather so the caregiver could ask specific questions.

The company said SmartThings could monitor devices such as air conditioners, air purifiers, dehumidifiers, and humidifiers for indoor temperature, humidity, and air quality. If the system detected unusual usage patterns, the caregiver received a notification and could control the device remotely.

Samsung reported that the Family Care service made the Safety Patrol feature more convenient. Safety Patrol used SmartThings to send a Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra robot vacuum to move through areas of the home if a care recipient’s activity was not detected for a set period. Caregivers received a notification and could activate the feature remotely if they needed to check on someone.

Using a camera built into the robot vacuum, caregivers could view conditions in the home, including a person lying on the floor, and use two-way communication through the built-in speaker and microphone to respond.

The company said the Care Insight feature within Family Care analysed factors such as temperature and humidity, tracked whether they moved outside defined ranges, and reported major changes in activity levels and connected device usage compared with the previous week.

Samsung also described changes to Now Brief, a personalised briefing service on Galaxy mobile devices that integrated SmartThings functions. The company said Now Brief brought together services such as Home Insight, Energy, Sleep Environment Report, and, with the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, Home Security, Family Care, and Pet Care.

According to Samsung, Now Brief presented information such as home device status, energy use, sleep status from the previous night, Home Security updates based on door locks, door sensors, and security mode, daily activity updates for parents, and dog-walking information.

Samsung stated that Now Brief would be available in phases on TVs released in 2024 or later and on Family Hub refrigerators released in 2021 or later. Users did not need to open the service manually, as it activated when they approached the TV, touched the Family Hub display, or opened and closed the refrigerator door.